(5Z)-7-Oxozeaenol is a β-resorcylic acid lactone that was first isolated in 1978 by Ellestad et al from an unidentified fungus.1 At that time, this secondary metabolite was of no potential clinical value since it lacked any anabolic activity, unlike other previously isolated and structurally related zearalenones. In 2003, during screening for inhibitory activity against transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK-1), (5Z)-7-oxozeaenol was found to be a potent inhibitor of the aforementioned enzyme with an IC50 of 8.1 nM.2 Similar to almost all kinase inhibitors,11 (5Z)-7-oxozeaenol is a competitive ATP ligand and binds irreversibly to its target.2 This irreversible interaction was validated when the covalently-bound ligand was cocrystalized with TAK-1.12 
Although (5Z)-7-oxozeaenol (1) is a potent inhibitor of the potentially important target TAK-1, for treatment of inflammation and cancer, its progress to move to the clinic is halted mainly because of its instability in plasma.16 There is an explicit need to diversify this important scaffold to potentially provide more active analogues.
Thus, there is a need to develop novel resorcylic acid lactones analogues.